The City On a Hill
by DancingSpark
Summary: It's rainy outside, and the kids are bored at Seventh Heaven. When the two have a small spat, Cloud finds out and decides it's time that the two heard a certain humbling story. Oneshot, inspired by the song by Casting Crowns of the same name. I guess you could call it a songfic...


The City On a Hill

The rain fell heavily from the overcast sky onto the pavement far below. It was a gray day in the new city of Edge. It was as if the curse of the city's forefather, Midgar, was haunting the recently built metropolis of steel. Inside all the steel, a small story was about to be told.

Denzel straddled the chair he had placed at one of the windows of Seventh Heaven. He watched the drops of rain patter softly against the glass and slowly glide down it. He watched the different drops become weaker the further down the window they moved, before suddenly colliding with another drop of water. The two would join and race down the window with renewed vigor. The bored child even thought to make it a race between separate drops; which would reach the bottom first? He gave a sigh as soon as the new 'game' he had thought up lost its brief moment of entertainment.

Business at Seventh Heaven was slow today. No one except a brave few would go out in the terrible downpour. One would think that people would flock to a bar in depressing weather like this, but not today, it seemed. Normally during business hours, Denzel would help wait on the tables since Tifa would be busy with the drinks and meals for the patrons and Marlene would be washing up dishes and tables. Currently, the bar was empty of any paying customers. However, Denzel wasn't the only bored soul in the building.

As he stared out the window, Denzel heard wood scrape on wood right next to him. He turned to catch a flash of pink ribbon and braided brown hair. He saw that Marlene had pulled up a chair next to him. With a small sigh, she plopped her elbows on the windowsill and leaned her head against her small fists. They both stared out the window for about a minute, the boy slouching in the chair and the girl swinging her legs back and forth before she spoke up.

"I'm so bored Denzel. I told Tifa and she said to come over and play with you, but I don't know what I want to do!" The little girl gave an annoyed huff. Denzel glanced at her, an idea sparking in his young mind.

"Hey, Marlene. Why don't you help me with my sword practice? I could use a partner."

The younger girl looked up at him with a look of apprehension. The idea wasn't appealing to her. She had seen how Denzel would try to whack away at a person when he got frustrated with his swordsmanship. His small wooden sword was starting to look like a scarred war veteran from all his aggravated swings.

"I don't think so, Denzel…" she said quietly. "Boys like to fight. I'm a girl, that's not what I like to do! How about you come help me with my poems? That's much more fun!" She gave a quick little grin. Denzel shook his head at the idea.

"No way! That's way too girly for a cool guy like me to do! I'd rather dance in front of a full bar!" he exaggerated. Marlene gave a little pout.

"Dancing is weird! You look strange when you wave your arms and legs around to the music! Besides, you never read about famous dancers in school! We read the poems of people from a long, long time ago! Poems last longer than dances, everybody knows that, Denzel!"

"What's that?" Denzel growled. "You think I look stupid when I dance?"

"I never said stupid! I said strange!"

"They mean the same thing!"

"No, they don't!"

"Fine! Why don't we go ask Tifa?"

This stopped Marlene's arguing. The little girl frowned and looked down at her hands, thinking. Denzel looked at her in confusion.

"Marlene?"

The girl looked up at him.

"Tifa would think that's such a stupid question," she mumbled.

Before Denzel could reply, the loud growling sound of motorcycle engine approached from down the road outside. The two children looked at each other with excitement.

"It's Cloud!"

The growling engine suddenly cut off in front of the bar. A few moments later, the garage door of Seventh Heaven opened to reveal a medium height man with spiked blond hair. The golden spikes drooped from rainwater, and the goggles covering his eyes dripped water onto the floor. The man's black sweater was soaked through, as well as the sleeve he wore on his left arm. Mud caked his boots while spatters of it covered the bottom of his pant legs.

He stopped just inside the threshold before wiping off some of the muck on the door mat. He quickly removed his muddy boots and placed them back in the garage, being careful not to track mud across Tifa's meticulously cleaned floor. He reached up with a gloved hand to remove his goggles. The second he had them off, he spotted to small shapes barreling towards him.

"CLOUD!"

Both children gave him a warm hug despite his soaking clothes. With a small smile and a quietly murmured "Hi," he ruffled their hair and walked to the back of the bar to let Tifa know he was home. The two kids tagged along, bombarding him with questions.

"You're home early today, Cloud!"

"Was something wrong with the deliveries?"

"Did you see any monsters?"

"Is something wrong with Fenrir?"

"Does the rain make it hard to drive?"

"Did you crash?"

"Yeah! Is that why you're all muddy?"

Cloud stopped walking for a second and raised both hands.

"Easy, you two. I'll answer your questions in a little while, alright? You were pretty bored today, huh?" Marlene and Denzel nodded their heads quickly. Cloud gave another small smile.

"I'll be right back, then we'll find something to do, alright?"

The kids looked up in excitement.

"Yeah!" they both cheered before darting back to the front of the bar. Cloud continued to the back where Tifa was reorganizing. He stopped and leaned against the doorframe, waiting for her to finish setting some newly shipped wine on the shelves.

As she finished, she turned and gave him a warm smile.

"Welcome home, Cloud. Did you have to cancel some of the deliveries from the rain today?"

The blond nodded and then asked, "What have the kids been up to? They seemed a little too happy to see me today. Not that I mind.."

Tifa gave him a look of understanding before turning back to the shelf. Even though her back was turned, she continued to talk.

"Well, I told Marlene to go play with Denzel, but I heard the two of them get in an argument about sword fighting, poetry, and dance. They're a bit high strung since they can't go out to play in the rain." She frowned in disappointment for the kids. Tifa knew they hated being indoors all day.

Meanwhile, Cloud had frozen in the doorway. The two children's argument had sparked an old memory of his. Suddenly, he had an idea.

"I think I know how to entertain them and help them solve their argument," he murmured before turning around and walking back to the front of the bar. Tifa looked after him for a second in confusion before going back to work.

The two kids were lounging around one of the bar tables, waiting for Cloud to return and answer their questions. As they saw him enter the bar, the two jumped up to get a chair for him.

Once the three were seated, Marlene and Denzel opened their mouths to ask more questions, but Cloud stopped them with a raised hand.

"Now, before I answer your questions, I have a question for the two of you," said Cloud. Marlene and Denzel listened closely for his question.

"Did the two of you have a little argument before I got here?"

They looked away from each other before nodding an affirmative.

"Hmm… Well, I have a story for you. Well, I suppose it's more of a poem, really."

The two looked up in surprise. No reprimanding for a fight? What was Cloud up to? He might not be as scary as Tifa when he scolded them, but still. What was he thinking about doing?

Cloud looked them both in the eye and said, "I want you both to really think about what I'm about to tell you while I'm reciting it. My mother told me this story or poem whenever I was angry or frustrated, and it helped me think more clearly about my situation. Can you guys do that for me?" The kids nodded. Cloud cleared his throat and prepared for his story.

_Did you hear of the city on the hill_

_Said one old man to the other_

_It once shined bright, and would be shining still_

_But they all started turning on each other._

Cloud's voice sounded a bit awkward at first, but soon it picked up a smooth rhythm. The children became entranced and leaned closer to listen.

_You see the poets thought the dancers were shallow_

_And the soldiers thought the poets were weak_

_And the elders saw the young ones as foolish_

_And the rich man never heard the poor man speak_

Denzel and Marlene both started at the next few lines. It sounded just like their argument earlier! They both listened with bothered expressions as Cloud continued.

_And, one by one, they ran away_

_With their made up minds to leave it all behind_

_And the light began to fade_

_In the City on the Hill, the City on the Hill_

The children exchanged a glance. The people ran away? Why?

_Each one thought that they knew better_

_But they were different by design_

_Instead of standing strong together_

_They let their differences divide_

_And, one by one, they ran away_

_With their made up minds to leave it all behind_

_And the light began to fade_

_In the City on the Hill, the City on the Hill_

_And the world is searching still_

Denzel peaked at Marlene from the corner of his eye. She had a look of melancholy about her. He understood; he felt the same way. What if the light of that city was never found? Still, Cloud continued.

_But it was the rhythm of the dancers_

_That gave the poets life_

_It was the spirit of the poets_

_That gave the soldiers strength to fight_

_It was the fire of the young ones_

_It was the wisdom of the old_

_It was the story of the poor man_

_That needed to be told_

Marlene was starting to realize how silly her argument with Denzel had been. She glanced at him and caught his gaze. It was apologetic.

_It is the rhythm of the dancers_

_That gives the poets life_

_It is the spirit of the poets_

_That gives the soldiers strength to fight_

_It is the fire of the young ones_

_It is the wisdom of the old_

_It is the story of the poor man_

_That's needing to be told_

_One by one will we run away_

_With our made up minds to leave it all behind_

_As the light begins to fade in the City on the Hill._

Cloud's voice died down as he finished his story. He looked between the two children, slightly surprised at the effect his story had had on them. Both looked sad and humbled. Marlene looked up to catch his gaze. Her eyes were glistening with faint tears.

"Cloud, what will happen to the city on the hill?"

Cloud gazed back at her a few seconds before answering, "You will have to decide what happens to it with your actions. Remember what I told you about the people who lived there, and don't make the same mistake. If you don't, perhaps the light will come back."

Marlene gave a thoughtful nod, the hint of tears gone from her eyes. Denzel looked up at his father figure and said, "We'll do our best, Cloud."

The blond man gave them both a proud, warming smile.

* * *

_I'm back! I apologize if you think this is the cheesiest fanfic you've ever read.. I got home just yesterday from Atlanta Fest in Georgia and I got to hear Casting Crowns live. They performed the song City On the Hill and it had me in tears. It was beautiful and they helped make my relationship with Jesus Christ clear to me. He is great. Also, they gave me the idea for this story, so I was itching to write it when I got home. Anyways, sorry if the kids seemed kinda OOC. I was basing their arguments off of how my older brother and I used to fight. xD Reviews are greatly appreciated! They steer me in the right direction if there's something off about my writing. Thanks! :D_


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